Barrow-in-Furness

Barrow-in-Furness' population shrunk between the last two censuses. At the same time there were changes in relationships, health and housing tenure.

The population decreased

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Barrow-in-Furness fell by 4.0%, from just under 72,000 to 69,100.

The loss of almost 3,000 people means this area's population was the most rapidly-declining in the North West and was the most rapidly-declining across England.

In 2011, Barrow-in-Furness was home to, on average, 6.3 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the North West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the North West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Barrow-in-Furness

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Barrow-in-Furness increased by three years, from 39 to 42 years.

This industrial area had a higher average age than the North West and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of almost 1,400 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 3,000.

About 13% of people in Barrow-in-Furness are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Barrow-in-Furness by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More people living alone

Barrow-in-Furness saw England's second-largest rise in the proportion of one-person households.

In 2011, just over one in three (35%) households in Barrow-in-Furness had only one person, compared with 30% in 2001. The percentage with an unmarried couple increased from 9.1% to 9.7%.

The largest increase occurred in Isles of Scilly (from 27% to 34%).

Because of its small size, comparisons to Isles of Scilly should be made with caution.

The percentage of households with only one person was higher than across the North West

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people worked short hours

Barrow-in-Furness saw England's largest fall in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week.

In 2011, just over 1 in 14 (7.2%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Barrow-in-Furness said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 8.7% in 2001. The percentage that worked over 49 hours in a week decreased from 1.7% to 1.5%.

Isles of Scilly saw the next largest fall (from 6.5% to 5.1%).

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Barrow-in-Furness decreased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Barrow-in-Furness, the North West and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Barrow-in-Furness

Barrow-in-Furness saw the North West's largest fall in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just under 1 in 15 (6.6%) in Barrow-in-Furness reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 7.4% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 4.7% to 5.3%.

Across the region, Preston saw the next largest decrease in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability (from 6.8% in 2001 to 6.1% in 2011).

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Barrow-in-Furness

The number of people in Barrow-in-Furness that described themselves as Muslim increased from about 180 in 2001 to about 170 in 2011. As a share of the total population, the percentage remained close to 0.3%.

Across the North West, the percentage of people from this religious group increased by from 3.0% to 5.1%, while across England the percentage went from 3.2% to 5.2%.

The number of people in Barrow-in-Furness that described themselves as Christian decreased from just over 58,000 in 2001 to about 49,000 in 2011 (from 81% to 71%). The number of people who described themselves as having no religion increased from about 7,800 to just over 15,000 (from 11% to 22%).

About 4,400 people (7.6%) did not state their religion, down from about 5,500 in 2001 (6.4%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population who identified as Muslim in Barrow-in-Furness remained close to 0.3%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Barrow-in-Furness by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

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Area report data

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